This invention relates to a hanger assembly for supporting articles on a perforated panel of the type commonly referred to as a "Pegboard". Such an assembly includes a hanger adapted to project outwardly from the panel and adapted to hold merchandise. One type of hanger assembly is disclosed in Valiulis U.S. Pat. No. 3,912,084 in which the hanger is adapted to be releasably attached to the panel by a separate mounting bracket molded of plastic and having a pair of horizontally spaced fingers which extend through holes in the panel. Several well known advantages are obtained when the hanger assembly includes a hanger and a separate mounting bracket.
Brackets of the type disclosed in the aforementioned Valiulis patent have been widely used and have experienced outstanding commercial success. Such a bracket includes a plate adapted to lie flat against the panel and further includes a boss which projects forwardly from the plate. The boss is formed with an upwardly opening socket for receiving a depending finger located at the inner end of the hanger and also is formed with an upwardly opening notch for receiving the inner end portion of the hanger and preventing lateral swinging of the hanger.
The invention more specifically relates to a hanger assembly in which the hanger is generally U-shaped and is formed by upper and lower outwardly projecting arms whose inner ends are joined by an upright connector. The lower arm of such a hanger usually is used to hold merchandise while the upper arm supports a tag or the like having a price, a stock number and/or other indicia printed thereon.
A hanger assembly of the foregoing type is disclosed in Barnes U.S. Pat. No. 4,452,360. While the U-shaped hanger is advantageous in that its upper arm supports a tag or the like, the hanger requires a special bracket for attaching the hanger to the panel.